A Treasury of ABC Self-Help Words that Give Encouragement and Support to the Caregiver

Publisher's Review

Author Janice Hucknall Snyder has dedicated a portion of her life to the home care of her husband. When diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and dementia, Snyder’s life took a pivotal turn. It is the experience and emotional journey that Snyder has taken that has encouraged the basis of the book Survival of the Caregiver. In Survival of the Caregiver, Snyder shares essential advice, tips, and emotional support for other caregivers in the world.

Survival of the Caregiver follows an A to Z format, centering on specific words of encouragement and advice. Whether a caregiver is struggling with guilty anger or needing solutions to the small daily problems, Snyder uses words of wisdom to relate and advise on the situation. The formatting Snyder took for Survival of the Caregiver will speak to the heart, soul, and mind of its audience. Following Snyder’s journey and follies will help a caregiver better care for their loved ones.

Caregivers are a special brand of people, as their lives are placed on hold to care for a loved one’s needs. A caregiver like Snyder devotes their lives 24/7 to another, and at times that weight of responsibility can become taxing. It can cause an emotional drain on the caregiver and suppressed needs or emotions tend to slowly edge to the surface. Snyder shows caregivers firsthand what to expect, feel, and cope with in the situation. It is relatable advice and stories from one caregiver to another.

Snyder understands the struggles that many caregivers will face. Survival of the Caregiver was written to help other caregivers or those showing support for a caregiver, and to demonstrate that these feelings are not singular. The familiar emotions can be felt collectively amongst many caregivers, even from those who are afraid to admit it. It can also show another family member helping with the support of the caregiver what daily struggles are being taken head on.

The book’s ABC words of encouragement are formulated to better instruct a caregiver on the challenges they may face. Not every situation is the same and Snyder does not claim to be an expert at these circumstances. However, following the format will empower a caregiver to move forward and understand the good they have taken on. Snyder also tackles the more difficult questions or concerns of a caregiver. Question pertaining to overloading an already busy schedule or deciding if the care provided has become too much to bare alone. “There is a time for giving and a time for giving over.” Strong words from Snyder in her analysis of when to determine if the struggle has become too heavy for one individual.

Readers will find an interest in Snyder’s advice, but also feel a connection to the situation she has remained in with the care of her husband. Through it all Snyder has remained positive and adaptive. She does not mind using a couch for a nightly bed or a kitchen for a study. These are all accommodations she is willing to take in order to better care for her husband. Snyder admits to being a person who likes to do it all and control every aspect of the situation. She also admits to the downfalls that can place on a caregiver and how one should ease away from that mentality.

The Survival of the Caregiver is not an instructional “How-To,” but rather a source of inspiration and companionship. She covers topics and concerns only a caregiver could relate to. “Someone else’s bowels had never really interested me. I was shocked the first time I realized that I had to make them my concern.” Snyder finds comfort in meeting other caregivers and being able to share the daily woes of caring for a loved one. Topics such as bedsores, budgeting, and anxiety are only a small portion of the problems Snyder tackles.

Caregivers and supporters will find Snyder’s care with her husband both inspiring and helpful to their own journey in caring for a loved one.